(Soul Reunion) Respectful Airline Captain

[Guest guest]

Subject: [soul Reunion] Subject: [soul Reunion] Respectful Airline Captain

To:

THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AN E-MAIL, IT IS A TESTAMENT TO A FALLEN

SOLDIER AND THE RESPECT SHOWN TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY. WORTH YOUR TIME

TO READ.

Respectful Airline Captain

This message is from an airline captain about a recent flight of his.

My lead flight attendant came to me and said, 'We have an H.R. on this

flight'. H.R. stands for human remains. 'Are they military?' I asked.

'Yes', she said. 'Is there an escort?' I asked. 'Yes, I already

assigned him a seat'. 'Would you please tell him to come to the flight

deck. You can board him early', I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He

was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself

and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen

soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ', he said. He proceeded to

answer my questions, but offered no words on his own. I asked him if

there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him

that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated

the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The

first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left

the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an

uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a

call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found

out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', he said.

He then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year

old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The

family was upset because they were unable to see the container that

the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub

at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting

flight home to Virginia. The father of the soldier told the flight

attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment

and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to

bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that

could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family

wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being

taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight

attendants voice when he asked me if there was anything I could do.

'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I would get back to him.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of

e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my

flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio

operator in he operations control center who connects you to the

telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the

dispatcher. I explained the situation I had onboard with the family and

what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would

get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were

going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family.

I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return

message from the dispatcher and this following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is

policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your

arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will

escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to

load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family

will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal

where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for

the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will

be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being

loaded for the final leg home.

Captain, most of here in flight control are veterans. Please

pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I

printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to

pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and

told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.' Things

started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After

landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area.

The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.

It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to

enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp

controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It

looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we

turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and

delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our

gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to

stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers.

He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public

address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain

speaking. I have stopped short of our gate to make a special

announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor

and respect. His name is private XXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his

life. Private XXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting

him today is army Sergeant XXXXX. Also, on board are his father,

mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all

passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the

aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our

shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit

door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you

just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every

passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the

family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly

started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and

soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm

sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the

family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.

They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved

one. Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the

announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could

say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that

brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the

sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our

freedom and safety in these United States of America

THIS IS MORE THAN JUST AN E-MAIL, IT IS A TESTAMENT TO A FALLEN

SOLDIER AND THE RESPECT SHOWN TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY. WORTH YOUR TIME

TO READ.

Respectful Airline Captain

This message is from an airline captain about a recent flight of his.

My lead flight attendant came to me and said, 'We have an H.R. on this

flight'. H.R. stands for human remains. 'Are they military?' I asked.

'Yes', she said. 'Is there an escort?' I asked. 'Yes, I already

assigned him a seat'. 'Would you please tell him to come to the flight

deck. You can board him early', I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He

was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself

and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen

soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ', he said. He proceeded to

answer my questions, but offered no words on his own. I asked him if

there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him

that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated

the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The

first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left

the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an

uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a

call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found

out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', he said.

He then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year

old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The

family was upset because they were unable to see the container that

the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub

at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting

flight home to Virginia. The father of the soldier told the flight

attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment

and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to

bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that

could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family

wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being

taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight

attendants voice when he asked me if there was anything I could do.

'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I would get back to him.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of

e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my

flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio

operator in he operations control center who connects you to the

telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the

dispatcher. I explained the situation I had onboard with the family and

what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would

get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were

going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family.

I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return

message from the dispatcher and this following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is

policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your

arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will

escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to

load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family

will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal

where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for

the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will

be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being

loaded for the final leg home.

Captain, most of here in flight control are veterans. Please

pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I

printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to

pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and

told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.' Things

started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After

landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area.

The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.

It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to

enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp

controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It

looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we

turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and

delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our

gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to

stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers.

He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public

address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain

speaking. I have stopped short of our gate to make a special

announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor

and respect. His name is private XXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his

life. Private XXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting

him today is army Sergeant XXXXX. Also, on board are his father,

mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all

passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the

aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our

shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit

door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you

just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every

passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the

family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly

started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and

soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm

sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the

family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.

They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved

one. Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the

announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could

say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that

brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the

sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our

freedom and safety in these United States of America